1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a device and a method respectively for handling flat or planar objects, in particular flat folded diapers, which can be successively fed to a conveyor with receptacles for each object or for each diaper, in particular to a compartment conveyor comprising separation struts which are arranged so as to protrude radially from a continuous conveyor in order to form compartments for each object.
2. Prior Art
A compartment band is known as a means for transporting bags in the formation of groups made up of a plurality of bags, for example, from DE 195 23 752. The compartment band can consist of a continuous belt running around, for example, four deflection rollers. Radially protruding struts are arranged on the outside of the belt in order to form the compartments for each receiving a bag. In the region of a collection station, the bags are deposited on a discharge conveyor while forming groups.
Diapers are packaged as preferably folded, flat structures having an, in particular, substantially rectangular or square shape. Each diaper group, made up of a number of diapers placed one on another, forms the content of a (bag) packaging.
The assembly of diaper groups by means of a compartment band is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,291 (FIG. 1). The diapers are fed, one after another, to the compartment band and are received in intermediate spaces formed between struts of the compartment band. A number of diapers, positioned next to one another in the compartment band, are pushed out by a slide transversely to the orientation of the compartment band and lowered, as a diaper group, on a platform. The platform can be moved upward and hands over the diaper group to a group conveyor which is arranged above the compartment band and transports the diaper groups successively to a packaging machine. This known device is of limited capacity.